A Letter and a Photograph
by Dark Magenta
Summary: A short story concerning Arabella Figg's past - and future. Features one (or two, I guess) original characters. (Finished.)
1. The Photograph on the Mantle

**Chapter One: The Photograph on the Mantle.**  
_How is it possible that a person can own this many cats?_ Harry thought to himself. He had been dropped off (although would be a more accurate term) at old Mrs. Figg's house, and she was proudly showing him photos of every cat she had ever owned. His eyes were drooping, and he felt as if one more minute of cats would send him into a very deep sleep.  
And this is Mr. Wiggles, now he was a temperamental one, always clawing and biting. Oh, but here's Mrs. Fluffers, now _she_ was such a good kittie, terribly sad what that Dudley boy did to her...and this is...is...  
Mrs. Figg looked up to see that Harry was slumped over on the couch, completely asleep. She smiled sadly.  
_He has no idea who he is_, she thought. _No idea at all_. She closed the photo album, and slid over so she was closer to him. Her fingers brushed the hair away from his forehead, revealing the lightning-bolt shaped scar.  
_Someday_, she thought, _Someday, he's going to receive a letter from Hogwarts, and he's going to leave here, and he is going to be so happy. He doesn't belong here with all these awful Muggles...I don't belong here..._  
Mrs. Figg wiped a single tear from her cheek. She averted her gaze from the sleeping Harry to the framed photos on her mantle. Amongst the numerous snapshots of her cats, there was one photo that stood out. It was of two girls, twins, both very beautiful, with dark brown hair and large eyes. One was smiling with her whole heart and soul, and the other was trying to smile, but failing. Her eyes were clouded with defeat, and no matter how valiant her attempt to smile was, there was no happiness behind it. Mrs. Figg closed her eyes, remembering the day that picture had been taken.


	2. Only One Letter

**Chapter Two: Only One Letter.  
** It was by far the most beautiful day of the entire summer. The heliotropes were in bloom, and the two twin sisters wee playing in their front yard, busying themselves by plucking the flowers from the earth and twisting them into each other's hair.  
Arabella! Mirabella! Come here, daddy wants to take some pictures! The two girls gathered their flowers and ran to their father and mother, who were waiting with a camera in the backyard. Their family loved to take pictures, as they loved to remember every moment of life..  
Now, stand here, said their mother. Arabella, you stand more towards the front, you're a little shorter...now smile!  
Their father snapped about ten photos, each one of them more beautiful than the one before. Just as he was getting ready to take the last photo, an owl screeched overhead, and dropped a letter into their mother's hands.  
Oh, it's a letter from Hogwarts! she cried. I wonder why they only sent one, you'll both be attending...  
Perhaps they put them both in the same envelope. Mirabella offered, running closer to her mother.  
But it's only addressed to you, Mirabella. said their father.  
The family gathered around the letter, each reading, and slowly, each understanding.  
This...this letter _is _only for Mirabella. their mother said.  
There must be a mistake, Arabella said, her voice cracking as she tried not to cry. The owl must be bringing my letter later...there must be a mistake...  
But there had been no mistake. The painful truth had been revealed, its sting more potent than anything else - Arabella was a squib. The joyousness that had existed only moments before had almost faded.  
Mirabella reached out to touch her sister's hand, and Arabella grasped it with all her might, trying so hard to hold on to what she knew would be leaving her in a matter of weeks.  
Let's get...one more photo in, shall we? their father said. Go stand over there, just one last shot.  
The two sisters stood next to each other, still clutching each other's hands. This time, Mirabella stood towards the front, and Arabella towards the back. Smiling proved to be a very difficult task - her face felt stiff and tight, unwilling to break. Her heart was heavy with tears and sadness. She wanted to feel pride for her sister, she did...she just couldn't.  
The picture was taken, and Mirabella let go of her sister's hand. She looked at her sadly.  
I'm sorry, Arabella, she said at last, and it looked as if her own eyes were filled with tears. I'm so sorry.


	3. The Fight at Florean Fortescue's

**Chapter Three: The Fight at Florean Fortescue's.**  
The weeks before Mirabella's departure were long and sad. Arabella had begged her parents to write to the headmaster and ask him to accept her into the school, but when the reply arrived, it had not contained information that she had wanted to hear - Hogwarts could not accept a squib. She would have to attend a school for non-magic children.  
Don't worry, her mother had said, patting her on the shoulder. Maybe someday there will be a way for you to do magic. But these word were of no comfort to her - she wanted to go to Hogwarts, to learn how to perform spells and charms, to look into a crystal ball and see her future, perhaps even to play Quidditch for a house team. She tried not to think about these things she'd never do, for they brought tears to her eyes, and she did not want to appear as if she was unhappy for her sister.  
Mirabella was very excited about attending Hogwarts. She had been counting down the days until her visit to Diagon Alley, where she had purchased all of her school things. The entire family had all gone together, and for a few moments, everything had seemed as it had been before Mirabella had received her letter from Hogwarts. Everyone had been laughing and smiling. Arabella had even purchased her very own kitten at the Magical Menagerie, which she called Mrs. Lilly.  
But the happiness came to an abrupt end when the family had run into an old friend while enjoying ice cream sundaes at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour.  
Ah, buying school supplies, are we?  
their mother had replied.  
said the man, looking at their bags of purchases. Looks like you've only got one of everything in here. You two girls planning on sharing your wands? he chuckled loudly, obviously under the impression that his little joke would have the same effect on his company. Either that, or one of the little girls is a squib! He laughed louder and louder, until all of the customers had turned their heads, wondering what could have possibly been so amusing.  
Arabella could not take it any longer. She scooped up Mrs. Lilly and ran outside, tears streaming down her face. Her sister tagged along after her.  
Arabella, he didn't know, she began. How could he have known?  
That doesn't give him a right to joke about it. Arabella snapped.  
You shouldn't take it so personally. He doesn't mean it. You know how he is, always makings jokes and things. I'm sure he's forgotten all about it. Come on, let's go in and finish our sundaes.  
Arabella replied. No. I don't want him to forget it! Do you think I'm proud to be a squib? I want to go to Hogwarts more than anything, and I don't...I just...I don't understand why you're magic and I'm not! We're sisters! We're _twins_! Shouldn't our magic be equal?  
Maybe the magic was, I don't know, not divided evenly.  
Or not divided at all, Arabella muttered. You got all of it.  
Well, I didn't intend for that to happen, so don't get snippy with me. All I did was get a letter.  
Arabella had not wanted to fight with her sister - if anything, she wanted to be closer to her, especially since their days were numbered. But she could not help but feel brutal stabs of jealousy. She didn't understand why her sister had everything, and she received nothing.  
I said I was sorry, Mirabella said coldly. It wasn't like I meant for this to happen.  
But Arabella did not respond, nor would she respond to anything her sister said to her - jealousy was a very poweful poison. The day that Mirabella boarded the Hogwarts Express, Arabella could not even bring herself to say goodbye.


	4. A Letter from Mirabella

**Chapter Four: A Letter from Mirabella.  
** _Dear Arabella,  
I doubt that you want to hear from me, but I decided to write you anway. I'm sitting at a table in the Ravenclaw common room, surrounded by books, charts, maps, quills, and bottles of ink. I am getting good marks in all of my classes, except for Transfiguration - I can't so much as Transfigure a teabag.  
There are so many wonderful things at Hogwarts, I cannot even begin to name them all. The classes are fascinating, and the Quidditch matches are so exciting. The stairways change every so often, and there are even ghosts wandering the halls! Everything here is so amazing.  
However, all of these wonderful things mean nothing without you here. I wish with all of my heart that you could be a witch with me, and I could share this experience with you. Not a day goes by that I don't think about you. I wish we hadn't parted on such bad terms, and I hope that someday, you can find it in yourself to speak to me again.  
Please write back soon!  
Love, your sister,  
Mirabella._


	5. A Clean Sheet of Parchment

**Chapter Five: A Clean Sheet of Parchment.**  
Arabella held the letter in her hands, staring at her sister's loopy, girlish handwriting upon the now tattered and yellowed sheet of parchment. She wished so desperately that she had written back - that she had more than just a letter and a photograph to remember her sister by.  
She remembered exactly where she had been when the owl had arrived. She had just returned from Diagon Alley after buying another cat - Mr. Tibbles - when a small owl flew in her kitchen window and dropped a scroll upon her table. She unfolded it, and could not believe what she read. Her sister, whom she had not spoken to in years, had been slain by Lord Voldemort while carrying out a spy mission for the Order of the Phoenix. Arabella had gone numb, trying hard to recall the last words she had spoken to her sister, and realized with a pang of sadness that they had been words of bitterness and jealousy, and not of congratulations and happiness. She had been asked to take Mirabella's place in the Order, but even this honor could not take away the stings of sadness that poked holes in her heart.  
She turned to look at Harry, still fast asleep on her couch, his scar visible.  
_I have to protect him_, she thought. _ It is the only way I have to honor Mirabella - I must look out for Harry - keep him safe from all the evils of this world, while I can. _Her heart filled with a sickening mixture of sadness and pride as she thought of all the evil that this little boy had to face - and would have to face in the years to come. She planted a kiss upon his cheek, causing Harry to stir, but not to wake.  
She then made her way to her desk, and pulled out a quill, an ink bottle, and a clean sheet of parchment. She sat down, and with a small smile on her face, began the letter she should have written many years ago.


End file.
